Visual composing and optical recording machine



Oct. l0, 1961 s.. sAcHs er AL VISUAL COMPOSING AND OPTICAL RECORDING IIACHINE Filed Feb. 7. 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Jawel Jac/b I''edgrz'c/l Meg,

ATTORNEY Aw A Oct. l0, 1961 s. sAcHs erm.

VISUAL COMPOSING AND OPTICAL RECORDING MACHINE Filed Feb. 7. 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS amuel deci/5 edarz'c' faae ATTORNEY `compose into a symbol. These fonts are used observation of this image he may bodying the present invention;

United States Patentk The present invention relates to a machine for visual ly composing type or other characters into a word, message, or other symbol, and recording such word, message, t t

or symbol, after it is composed by optical means, anchas photographic recording.

A'aalient feature of the present invention resides in its ,provision for visually observing rthe selection of a plurality of characters comprising a desired message or symbol, and simultaneously lcomposing and observing the composition of all said characters with respect to one another, so that the entire composition of the Symbol and relative orientation and relation of the `selected characters may be fully adjusted and justied visually. After the entire symbol has been composed to `the satisfaction of the operator, the machine may then be utilized to record said symbol as thus composed optically. as by photographic means.

To this end, the machine utilizes a plurality of alphaand numerical fonts, or other basic character ydesignation means, the number of fonts depending *upon the number of characters it is desired to simultaneously to project r otherwise optically transpose the selected characters Simultaneously onto a screen. Ihc image thus created cn the screen is made visible to the operator, and by adjust the fonts and/or ythe optical system transposing the font characters, to

adjust, compose. and justify all the characters .individually until ho has obtained the image of the symbol in the form and composition desired. Once .satisfied with the composition of the symbol, the operator may then optically apply the image as` observed to a recording medium, such as a photographic plate, or the like.

Accordingly, it is one object of the present invention to provide a visual composing and recording machine which kenables a symbol comprising a plurality of charenters to be completely composed under the observation of the operator, and which provides for the recording of such symbol as thus composed.

Another obiect of the present invention 'is to provide a visual composing and optical system recording machine lwhich enables a symbol comprising a plurality, of char- .actets to befcompletely composed under jthe observation 'cf the operator, and which. provides for the optical recording of such symbol as thus composed. v Y

Another object of the present invention is. to provide .'such a machine, wherein Ltlrep'ln'rality vof, characters lcomprising the, symbol are optically transposed. onto 'a screen, from whichthe. composition of all the characters `and the adjustment thereof may be, had simultaneously under the observation of the operator.

.Other objects and advantages of the present invention jwill become apparent to those skilled in the art from a consideration of the following detailed dest'triptitm of one exemplary embodiment of the kpresent invention, had in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. in which like numeralsy refer to like or parta-and `wherein:

FIG. l is a vertical sectional 'view'of a mlchine em- FIG. 2 is a longitudinal sectional View machine FIG. 3 is an enlargedy detailed plany view of a t 2 tion of a fontand font carrier assembly used in the `machine of FIG. l;

FIG. 4 kis a vertical sectional view of the font and font cartier assembly shown in FIG. 3, taken along the .line 4-4 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5- is ay cross-sectional view of the font and rfom carrier assembly of FIG. 3, taken along the line 5 5 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 .is an enlarged detailed top plan view of a portion of the'machine of FIG. l, showing the lm cartier and adjusting structure therefor; and

FIG. 7 is a further enlarged detailed view of a portion of said film carrier and adjusting assembly.

Referring yparticularly vto FIGS. y1 and 2, the ,present machine comprises a housing 10 having a bottom wall ll, top wall 12 side walls 13, end wall 14, and front panel I5. A panel 16 isjprovided adjacent the bottom edge of the Vfront panel 15 spaced upwardly from the bottom wall 11, defining an aperture 18 between panel 16 and bottom 11, .for purposes to be subsequently described. The housing thus described may be mounted on any suitable support, such -as legs 17.

- Within housing l0 an optical system is provided, including a longitudinally arcuate etched glass or plastic screen 20 mounted on a supporting frame 21. This frame comprises two vertically spaced plates 21a and 2lb provided with correspondingly curved front edges 22a and 221:, notched at 23 and supported in spaced relation by end blocks 24. By projecting means to .be subsequently described, an optical image of a plurality of characters .is formed on screen 20.

Spaced rearwardly from the screen 20 are twotranversely spaced'vertical brackets 30, 31, having therebetween two transverse mirrors 32 and 33. As indicated by the dashed light beam line, .mirror 32 is in position to receive the optical image presented on screen 20. lMirror 32 is mounted on a shaft 34 pivotable between two positions: one, shown in dotted lines, where the light incident on themirror from the screen is reflected to a sighting aperture 35' formed in front panel 15, as indicated by the dot-dash light beam line; and the other, shown in solid lines, where said incident light is reected to the mirror 33, as indicated by the dashed light bean line. Mirror 33 is iixedly mounted on brackets 30, yShaft 34 is provided with a handle 35 to facilitate. the aforementioned pivotal movement thereof and of the `n'tirrotr 33 by the operator. Shaft 34 may be further provided with suitable detent means, not shown, to

provide accurate pivotal location of the shaft and mirror 32 in its two operative positions above-mentioned.

When mirror 34 is in the solid line'position andro- Afleeting the image on screen 20 to mirror 33, this imageis yfurther reected or ktransmitted to mirror 36, thence to vvorne braces 43 whichare apprt'lpriately` slotted to receive and boguided uponrraiis 44,45. The brackets 41, 42

mdbracu- 43 thus provide a oarriagefor mirrors 36, 37, whereby they may be moved as a unit longitudinally of thev machina, closer to 'or farther from the mirror 33 and lem 38. f

Objective lens 38 is alsomounted for'adjustment longitmlinally of the housing l0. To this end, bracket 50 depending from the top wall rof the honsiugis provided with a horizontal shelf 5l designed with a guido- Vway `to receive yand guide platform 52 along the length thereof. Cord 56 has its ends aixed to each end of the'platform 52, and by means of suitable guide and d rive pulleys 53, 54, 55, the cord 56 moves the platform along the guideway in shelf 51. Objective lens 38 is carrled by yplatform 52 for movement therewith. The axle "56 of pulley 55, for example, may'extend tothe exterior 60. At the innerend, each font carrier is provided with a boss 62 which depends below the shelf 60 through arcuate slot 63 and extends below the under Vside of bottom wall 11. An extension rod 64 is axed tothe bottom of Aeach boss and isv pivotally connected at its remote'end to -a pivot center pin 65 which is the center of radius of arcynate slot 63. Thus, each font carrier is tied to the pivot center pin 65 so that its movement over the surface of shelf 60 1s confined to an arcuate path aboutv said pivot center. Since the various extension rods 64v for the sev- 'eral font carriers will overlap when tied to a single center,

it is preferable that the depending bosses 62 of successive font carriers be made to extend a little further downwardly to accommodate said overlap of the extension rods. `To further facilitate the arcuate movement of the font 'carriers on the shelf 60 over a defined arcuate path, the -bosses 62 are designed with close tolerance to the width of arcuate slot 63, and the forward ends of font carriers "61 overhang the forward arcuate end 66 of shelf 60, and rabbeted at 67 to engage about edge 66 with close tolerances. The curvatures of edge 66, `slot 63, vandY lscreen 2() all have a common center at pin 65.

The structural details of the font carriers are best shown in FIGS. 3, 4, and 5. Each font carrier comprises a basic 4body member 70 defining the length and width of the "carrier, having upstanding ridges 71 along the length thereof at each longitudinal edge. Over each ridge 71 is an inwardly overhanging strip 72 extending longitudinally for a portion of the length of carrier, defining with said ridges and basic body member a T-shaped guide lchannel 73 dening a guideway for slidingly holding and guiding font 74. The fonts 74 are basically opaque strips having various characters inscribed thereon, such as nu- `rnerals and alphabetic letters. These characters are inscribed on the fonts in any suitable manner as to render fthe characters transparent to light. In order to provide for easy movement of the fonts in guideways 73, a handle A75 is provided for each assembled font and carried with s a T-shaped lug 76 designed to t with the associated font in guideway 73. The handle 75 has two depending pins 77 which engage inl appropriate holes in an end of the lfont 74, for convenience in exchanging fonts when desired.

A lens housing 80 is secured on the top of the font carrier at an appropriate place thereon over a hole 81 in the bottom of the carrier. Housing 80 has a vertical hole 82 tapped therein positionedrto register over hole 81. A horizontal threaded hole 83 is also tapped in housing 80 which intersects with hole 82, and at the intersection an angular mirror 84 is provided to reflect light transmitted up hole 82 out along hole 83. A suitable lens 85 `is mounted in threaded barrel 86. Barrel 86 is adjustably threaded into hole 83 to obtain alcorrect focus for lens 85, and a lock nut 87 may be provided on harrelV 86 to fix the barrel in a desired adjusted position.

When a light beam is directed upwardly through hole 81, lens 85 will transmit an image of whatever character on font 74 is registered over hole 81. To facilitate the selection of such character, one strip 72 may havethe font charactersinscribed thereon, while the ,othery strip v72 fmayhave detent stops drilled therein cooperating with a f. spring pressed ball detent in handle ,75, so that by sliding 'riers 61 are positioned upon the upper surfaceof shelf 20. By means of handle "scribed on strip 72. lcharacters in registry with openings 81. With the sev gitudinally shifting the fonts in their carriers.

,means of mirrors 33, 36,

of handle 75 to the desired character marking onl the font carrier, the corresponding character inscribed on font 74 is located over hole 81.

With reference to FIGS. l and 2, it will be seen that shelf has a second arcuate slot 88 over which the hole 81 in each font carrier registers. A light source Y90 is supported under housing 10 anddirected toward mirror 91 ,carried by bracket 92 under shelf 60. Mirror 91 extends the' length Vof slotr 88', and is positioned to reflect light from source 90 up throughholes 88 into lens housings 80, when the font carriers are in operative position on shelf 60,. V.',Ilre light thus received in housings 80 is reflected iby mirrors '84 through lenses 85, whence the light travels through slot -15' into housing 10 and onto screen 20.

From the foregoing structural description, the opera- 'tion of the present machine will be apparent. A word or other desired symbol is designated by setting successive fonts 74 with the selected sequence of letters or characters :positioned over openings 81. This may be done by sliding handle into registry with the desired character in- This action places the selected font quence of fonts set in their respective font carriers to register the desired sequence of characters with the apertures 81 in the font carriers, the light from source 90 impinging upon mirror 91 is reflected upwardly through apertures 81, thus projecting an image of the selected font characters onto mirrors 84, from whence the Vimages are relleeted through lenses and focused on the screen 35, mirror 32 is placed in the dotted line position, to reflect the image now focused on 'screen 20 toward sight aperture 35', whereby the operator can observe the composition of the word or other desired symbol selected from the fonts. The vertical alignment of Ithe several selected characters can now be set with precision in accordance with the operators observation, by lon- Likewise, by shifting the font carriers individually or in groups transversely across the face of shelf 60, the spacings between ,the selected characters can be adjusted with precision to the visual satisfaction of the operator. Thus, the entire composition of the symbol or message line is determined to the visual satisfaction of the operator. Once satisfied with the composition of the line, by means of handle 35 mirror 32 is shifted to the solid line position, whereby the .image on screen 20, as thus composed, is reflected by and 37 to lens 38, from whence it is projected onto mirror 39 and reflected up through slot 40. v As will be subsequently described, a photographic plate or the like may be mounted over aperture 40.to receive the message image.

As previously mentioned, plate 16 is spaced upwardly Vfrom housing bottom wall 11 providing an aperture 18 in the housing. As is now apparent, the purpose of this aperture is to accommodate and receive the inner ends of fonts 74 when they ,are adjusted to extend be- .yond the inner ends of the font carriers.

Although not shown, it is preferred in practice to provide an auxiliary cover or housing adjacent the front vpanel 15 and covering the area of slots 63 and 88, for

the purposes of appearance and shielding the eyes of an operator from the light transmitted up through the slots 63 and 88.

In the preferred embodiment of the present machine,

`the image produced on screen 20 is many times larger than that projected on the lrn through aperture v40. By this expedient, any minor errors in composition judgment of the operator are grossly reduced in magnitude. However, the size of the image projected through aper- Vture 40 may be'varied. For this purpose, the bracket assembly 41, 42, 43, 43 and mirrors 36, 37 carried thereby is shiftable longitudinally of the machine on tracks A44, 45.` In order to properly focus theV image-projected 75 through aperture 4Q for various positions of mirrors 36,

.projector including means for acter font in position therein adjustably holding acharfor projecting an image of faselected character from such font to said common focal area, simultaneously projected images thereby being ad- 'justable and composable by theV relative positioning of lsaid projectors, an optical image recording station, and `means in said housing providing alternate optical transavisual observation station, said recording station.

mission paths for said projected images, onesuch path to and the ,other such path to v8. A machine as set forth in claim 7, and further including means in at least one of said transmission paths `for resolving said projected images into observable form to enable visual adjustment and composing of the projected images. f

9. A composing and recording machine, comprising a housing, said housingincluding a support means, a pluof optical projectors, means dening a common 'f ocal area in said housing for said projectors, means niounting said projectors on said support means for individual and separate guided bodily shiftable movement relative to each other on a line approximately equidistant along the optical axis of each said projector from said common focal area, each said projector including means for adjustably holding a character font in position therein for projecting an image of a selected character from lsuch font to said common focal area, simultaneously projected images thereby being adjustable and composable bythe relative positioning of said projectors, and means' for effecting an optical recording ofsaid images.

ltors on said support means shiftable movement relative to each other on' a line ap- 10. A composing and recording machine, comprising a housing, said housing including a support means, a plu'- rality of optical projectors, a common focal area insaid housing for said projectors, 'means mounting said projecfor individual guided bodily proximately equidistant along the optical axis of'eah said Vprojector fromsaid common focal area, each said projector including means for adjustably holding a character font in position thereinfor projecting an image of a selected character from such font to said common focal 1area, simultaneously `projected images thereby being adjustable and .composable by the relative positioning of 'said projectors, -an optical image recording station, and means in said housing providing alternate optical trans- 'mission paths for said projected images, one such path Ato a visual observation station, and the Vother such path 'to said recording station. j 11. A machine as set forth in claim 10, and further vincluding means in at least oneof said transmission paths 'for resolving said projected images into observable form Yto enable visual adjustment and composing of the projected images.' Y

j 12. `A machine as set forth in claim 11, wherein said Vmounting means includes a track means for guiding said projectors in an arcuate path of movement, said resolving means comprises an larcuate screen positioned in said focal area, and said optical transmission means including a shiftable mirror positioned to reect the image resolved von said screen in said alternate paths.

References Cited in the tile of this patent 

